Renaissance
by AiJay
Summary: Edward Elric has just defeated the 7 sins, but naturally, when things get cleaned up, someone is there to mess it up again... So what happens when that goes for all of Amestris? Unfortunately, the second mess is bigger than the first, and all of the mysterious Xing is tied into the catastrophes!
1. In Which There are Knives

In Which There are Knives

The masked figure exclaimed sharply as he flew back amidst the pile of shattered glass, reaching towards the window.

The man Mask had been chasing had finally revealed his face- Mask had been tracking him for months- But only to disappear seconds afterward.

Though, things were important to remember. Like remembering the guy's bright red eyes, and dusty white hair. Because if Mask could finally prove that it was Vampire, and not him, then Mask might actually have a chance to reveal his identity.

Mask sat up in a daze, the image of the broken window the criminal had escaped through still blurry. Then he leapt to his feet, overcome by a wave of nausea. The corpse beside him was still fresh, as the Vampire guy had left his mark again. In fact, Mask's hands were fresh with the corpse's own blood. Vampire had a nasty habit of blaming Mask for things he didn't do, and sure enough, he could already hear the sirens wailing in the distance.

Hiding meant they would find him. Running meant they wouldn't catch him- at least, until later. Fleeing seemed like the best option.

Mask readjusted his black clothing, but the heavy padding and layers weren't just to keep from the cold outside. Despite how light and thin they seemed, they actually hid his figure surprisingly well. The less they knew about him, the better.

The sirens were right outside the door, but they turned off right as the car pulled up to the house. Instead of a full armed police force barging into the room, two sets of footsteps clacked calmly through the halls.

Mask tensed. They weren't police at all, but he could still sense the pattern in which their footfalls echoed: Soldiers, military. There might have been a way to solve this diplomatically- after all, he was in the Eastern province, if just by chance, he managed to land exactly where-

No.

Luck did not carry people that far. It was Mask's own decision to track Vampire to begin with, and his own decision he wasn't with his sister right now… But it was her own fault she agreed to marry that… That… Monster.

Mask gripped the kunai blade beneath his sleeve and took a deep breath, melting into the shadows. No attacking until after being attacked, and no drawing any unnecessary attention. Those were the two rules he had lived by ever since leaving home nine years ago. Those rules would not change, even if hit with an extraordinary stroke of luck.

The footsteps continued closer, calmly, but checking each of the rooms before entering the large dorm he was in. Mask was thinking it may have been a parlor.

The door swung open smoothly, revealing a tall man in crisp blue military uniform. He had tousled dark hair and warm almond eyes, a rich earthy tone. His stance was relaxed, but he clenched his fists tightly, as if trying to block out the cold. But he only wore white dress glove on his hands, and aside from the classy fur coat on his shoulders, there was no other protection from the cold.

A woman walked into the room next to him, carrying a small pistol. So they _were_ armed- but the man just had his own personal bodyguard. The woman's eyes were sharp, cold, and unamused, as if saying, _Really? There had to be a murder this early in the morning? So not worth my sleep time._ Her hair was honey blonde, and her eyes were closer to melted chocolate, but she was pretty. And she fingered her pistol with obvious experience. Pretty and deadly.

Mask was caught in the middle of thinking the soldier was just his type, but melted further into the shadows. The woman was looking right at where he had been standing earlier- had he left a trace somehow? Her gaze wandered to where he was standing, and locked with his own.

_Shoot_.

"You can come out," Blondie put the safety on her pistol. Mask shook his head. Blondie dropped the handgun. "We know where you are, don't make this any harder on yourself."

"I'm not hiding my location, I'm hiding my identity," Mask shifted his weight, but tucked the knife deeper into his sleeve. Diplomacy was starting to look very, very nice from this angle. "I was not the man who killed this victim," Mask said, voice trembling a bit. "If you guys took me in now, I'd never be able to prove my innocence."

"Sir," the classy guy said. He addressed Mask quite formally, despite the fact that however well disguised Mask was, he couldn't have been more than 18. "We've been tailing you for quite a long while now, and we've never once believed the crime was your fault."

"So you'll let me go."  
>"We may not," Classy shrugged. "All suggested evidence points towards you."<p>

"So now I'm being blackmailed. I thought the military's motto was _For the People_ or something."

"So it is," Blonde smiled. She had a really pretty smile. "Which is why we'd like to offer our assistance. We know the guy you're after is hard to catch. And we have some of the most experienced trackers on our team. Would you be willing to let us help you?"

Mask weighed his options.

"No," he said at last, finally stepping into the light of the broken window. "I've been alone for over nine years- over half my life. I've worked alone, I've lived alone, and nothing's going to change that."

"You haven't been alone for more than a few months," Classy pointed. "That mask you're wearing has a match- One worn by a girl by the name of Lan Fan. Would you happen to be acquainted with her?"

Mask tilted his head. "I see you've met my sister."

"So we have," Blonde picked up the pistol again, but only to let it rest in her belt, no use leaving it on the floor. "And that mask belonged to her grandfather, Fu. You went to retrieve it when he was buried, along with the kunai in your sleeves."

Mask slipped each one out- 15 in total, and laid them on the floor in front of him. Of course, they weren't the original kunai, but he had been shocked Blonde saw them, at all. "You're very observant," he complimented her. Hopefully not _too_observant. "But I prefer it alone. I only went because I had to." And he wasn't eager to stay, after having seen the Monster. "I'll track down the killer for you, and I'll save you the time and do it myself." In a flicker of movement, Mask disappeared out the broken glass.

Roy Mustang nodded down at Riza Hawkeye, who gazed over at Mask until he disappeared. "Havoc, he should be crossing into your line of sight," she said into the radio receiver on her jacket. "Follow him."

~Peanut Butter~

Mask kept to the shadows, but didn't stop sprinting until at least 200 meters from the disaster, slowing down to a steady jog, then stopping, looking behind him.

The streets of East Amestris were really quiet in the early morning, with a gentle breeze chilling the sweat on his skin. Everything looked peaceful from his view in the dark, but shadow traveling was going to be difficult tonight. There was a murderer hiding with him.

Mask snapped his fingers and waited a few minutes. There was a small rustle in the air, and soon a bird appeared in view- but no ordinary bird. This was a winged miracle, with the venom of a snake, the speed of a cheetah, the hearing of a rabbit, and the desired tracking ability of a wolf. It was a customized chimera, bred and designed specifically for it's use and qualities.

In other words, it was illegal. But entirely useful.

"Here, Grim," Mask beckoned quietly, summoning the little beast to his arm. Grim settled on to his shoulder like a polite messenger falcon, it's wings blending perfectly with the night. "I don't think they're onto us, but I don't want them on my trail as we cross through the desert," Mask explained, as if it could understand everything. The intelligent look it responded with let him know that it was safe to trust. "Go find something to eat, then hurry back, okay? We need to find Vampire… Again." The creature shuddered, then flew off into the night.

Mask nodded with assurance before stepping forward, but that one little step turned the world upside down.

Literally. His foot had caught, and he was whipped upside down, held fast by a rope secured around his ankle.

"What in the hades is going on!?" he shouted, pulling out a knife. He was about to cut free, but another figure above him stopped him.

"Now, that wouldn't be the smartest idea," A country accented voice above him said. When Mask was finally able to stop spinning, he was able to focus on another figure in blue uniform- A man hardly older than him, with an unlit cigarette in his mouth, and a heavy shotgun that fit comfortably in his arms. "You definitely weren't the hardest to track, and I doubt you'd be the hardest to shoot," he said casually. "The name's Havoc, and I'm helping you with your job."

Mask stopped struggling, only to relax his efforts and swear.

"Pipe down a bit," Havoc crossed his arms, the shotgun hiding smoothly inside his jacket. "It's not like I want it, either. If you'd take a moment to listen-"

Mask slipped the next knife from his palm and landed gracefully onto the ground, but Havoc grabbed him around the waist the minute he tried to bolt. "You've been causing a bit more trouble than prefered," he frowned with annoyance, but handled the small figure with ease. "It looks like we're done doing things the nice way, how about we take a minute to see who you _really_ are?"

"No-" Mask yelped shortly, his voice significantly higher in pitch than it had been moments earlier. But Havoc had already taken off the mask.

Behind was a dark-haired, wide-eyed, extremely scared… Girl.

_A/N: Not bad, but I really didn't explain that well. Not enough emotion. Not enough suspense. The thoughts are too disorganized. Also, when Mask says the soldier was just her type, she was referring to Roy, although it was set up to have the reader assume it was Hawkeye, because everyone originally thought Mask was a guy. Plot twist!_


	2. In Which There is Sweetbread

In Which There is Sweetbread

"You can talk in a ridiculously low voice," Havoc stared at the little fugitive in his arms, probably barely noticing her struggle.

"I've had nine years of practice," she said in a normal girl's voice, panting, still trying to worm her way free. Eventually, she gave up, going completely slack. "Can you just let me go and forget this ever happened?" Mask was all sweaty and cold- not such a good combination. "I have a killer to track down, thank you very much," she sighed, already weary with her efforts.

"And I'm helping you," he repeated firmly, setting her on the ground. Havoc still held her hand, though, and kept her from dashing away the moment her feet touched the pavement. "The desert isn't very easy to cross alone."

"How did you know that was where I was headed?" she asked carefully, turning around, facing his pleased, know-it-all expression.

Havoc held up a two little pieces of paper. The first, she had kept with her since she last saw Lan Fan, it was a gift from the Monster. It was the reason she needed to stay on her feet.

The second was a gift from Mr. Vampire. She had picked it up a few months back when she had first started tracking him. That one little note summed up much of her life. And ruined the majority of it, as well.

"I've got a few questions for you, Ms. Yao," Havoc plopped Mask on the ground and sat beside her, still ready to catch her if she tried to burst away. "First of all, how's the little lady doing?"

Mask gave a questioning stare.

"Your sister. You're the tomboy."

Okay. Now Lan Fan was a little lady. Weird. "Sis married Ling a few months back, when I began tracking the other guy," she said, not daring to mention her nickname for him outloud. "She's not his bodyguard anymore. Or at least, I don't think. I only saw her after Gramps died. Then I left again."

"So you're the princess of Xing."

"If you're implying that the Monster is actually emperor, than yes."

"Isn't calling him that treason?" Havoc asked cautiously.

"If he loved my sister, he wouldn't care," Mask stuck her lip out in a pout.

"Hah, you're cute," Havoc ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance. "Okay then, so what's your name?"

"I don't have one. They took it away from me when I left home. It would defy culture, and all meaning of living, if I were to take it back. For now, I go by Fu, because that's Gramp's name, and this is his mask."

"Okay then, I'll call you Yin, since it's got the Yin part of the Yin-Yang on the top."

"Stupid, this is the Yang. Lan Fan has the Yin."

"If you're dead to them, why'd she give you the mask, Yin?"  
>"I stole it," she said simply, standing up. "And my name is Fu- For now. Soon enough, I'll get my real name back." She blew a shrew whistle into the air, and moments later, Grim landed on her shoulder.<p>

"Are we ready to get going?" Havoc asked, standing up as well.

"Grim, I don't like this guy. I don't want him following us. Do me a favor and get rid of him." The raven chimera shrieked, then began attacking Havoc.

"Ow- hey, what the heck!" He complained. Fu turned around and slipped her mask back on, but stopped and faced the soldier when the bird's cries went silent.

Havoc had his shotgun aiming for Fu, and Grim had stopped in response. "Smart bird," he nodded approvingly. "Apparently not smart enough to know the safety's still on, but a very good companion." He slipped his shotgun back in the length of his trenchcoat jacket, then crossed his arms disapprovingly as the bird stared questioningly. "Are we done with these little fits?"

Fu hung her head, slightly out of anger, but mostly out of remorse- she couldn't get the stupid man off her tail. "Fine. Accompany us through the desert, and die trying. Go ahead and leave him alone, Grim. " The bird squawked, flying around in a few angry circles, before settling on the girl's shoulder. "Let's get moving, before we're too late."

"Wait, you already have a lead on the guy you're after?" Havoc gaped, cigarette in danger of falling out of his mouth. Fu was already at a steady run, but she wasn't trying to shake off the soldier. He had been paying attention to every detail he crossed, yet he'd seen nothing that revealed any immediate answers. Maybe the girl wasn't such a loudmouth, afterall. If she already had a lead on him… _Dang_, she was good.

"No, stupid," she growled, still running. "It's almost 6 o'clock," she gestured with one thumb to the uprising sun, the light of the stretching beams reflecting off her eyes. Even with the mask, how had he not noticed how wide her eyes were? "And at 6 o'clock, the first sweetbread stand opens-"

"What!?" Havoc exclaimed, nearly slamming into the wall as they made a sharp turn. He was barely able to stay on his feet, skidding across the pavement.

"You can't go tracking on an empty stomach, stupid," Fu dashed up to the sweetbread stand, shaking some cenz from her shoe and tossing them to the expecting vender. "What flavor do you want?" she asked, grabbing a honey roll for herself.

"What?" Havoc repeated, stunned.

"Pick one, or I'll order the wasabi surprise," Fu threatened, crossing her arms.

"Caramel!" Havoc shouted in dismay, sweating with disappointment. He just sighed and lit a cigarette, about to smoke it, but Fu snatched it away from him.

"Hey!?" he complained. "I wanted that-"

"You're about to eat, stupid," she stuck the sweetbread in his hands instead, and he was practically crying with disappointment. "Besides, this place is polluted enough as it is," she glanced up at the smoggy sky, as if looking for the rising sun. Clouds or not, the air was thick enough they wouldn't have been able to see it, anyway. The sky was just too thick.

"Okay, can you give me back my papers?" she asked, holding her hand out. Havoc grudgingly obeyed. "So, what do you think of it? Are you sure you want to continue?"

"I didn't read them," Havoc said in the middle of a bite of sweetbread. The salted caramel was really, really good.

"You had the entire reason I've spent my life as a criminal- and you didn't read them."

"Nope." Havoc took another bite of his bread. He missed the taste of his cigarette- but the sweet caramel was nearly just as good by comparison. "Well, I'm not nosy when I don't have to be. I read part of one, and it said Xing, and you have to cross the desert to get there, right?"

"Well, this first one is gonna tell us where we're going," she held up the tattered piece of paper. "I picked it up from the murderer on the way out- It's some sort of schedule. I have no idea if he knows I have it, but we've stayed up to plan so far, and of course, it might be fake, but-"

"Just give me the papers," Havoc held out his hand. Fu grudgingly obeyed, and they read it together.

The ink was written out in a tight, hard-pressed handwriting, with rain and dirt smudges along the border. _First, stop through East, near Resembool, to gain access to the passage to Xing. Immigration is illegal, there are fewest guards that way. Bring plenty of water. After that, find Xing clothing- complexion will hide me well enough, as long as I'm careful. The visit to Mei Chang has been put off too long. I cannot wait to see her- maybe then, she'll finally get what she deserves. _

The next part of writing was on the back, in even smaller letters: _23 total murders_ before the ink trailed off into nothing.

"Well then," Havoc folded the paper back up with rigid hands. "When do we leave?"

"Right now," Fu snatched back the notes and stood up. "The initial plan is to get to Xing before the other guy does, alert Mei, and we'll be good to go."

"Why do you want to protect Mei?" Havoc asked, slightly suspicious.

Fu tensed. "I've heard a little bit about her," she said carefully. "I think she's been put in a situation similar to mine, and I don't want her to die, because whatever that other guy said, she doesn't deserve to be added to that list of murders."

"If you've been gone for so long, how do you even know her?" Something about 9 years of experience rang in his head from earlier.

"You read the other paper!" Fu shouted angrily, blushing hard.

"Just enough to get adequate information, without reading everything," Havoc reminded her. "Something about not being home for nine years?" He finished his sweetbread and met her glare smartly.

"There's no proof that's my writing."

"You just gave yourself away."

"We're going to Xing, to the Chang province, to alert Mei, and then we'll be off," Fu glared, tucking the remainder of her sweetbread in her pocket. "End of story."

"Let's head off, then," Havoc laughed, suddenly a lot less worried than he had been earlier. "The next train to Resembool leaves in about…" he glanced up at the clocktower, somehow gleaming brightly despite the still-dark atmosphere. "10 minutes," He lit another cigarette, managing to smoke it successfully without any objection.

"You don't have anything you need to take with you?" Fu raised an eyebrow, gathering the remaining cenz into her shoe, slipping more kunai into her sleeves.

"No, I think I've got everything," he smiled, knowing perfectly well the people on the other side of the communication device he had clipped on his jacket would be able to help him, there or not.

Kain flashed a thumbs-up to Falman, and Breda fistpumped with joy. Roy drummed his fingers on the desk with disappointment, though, and Riza tilted her head in confusion.

"Colonel?" she asked, still not forgetting the stacks of paperwork piled beside his desk.

"She's been in this country for nine years," Roy mused aloud, tapping his pen on the files he was supposed to record. "So why has this illegal immigrant been on the bottom of our priorities? Wherever she's going, it's not just because she misses her family, or because of Mei Chang."  
>"I'll write that down for you, Sir," Riza offered. "But you'd best get started on that paperwork." Roy slumped in his chair, blowing the first sheet in front of him as he sighed with disappointment. Riza pulled out the small fingerpistol she wore in her jacket.<p>

"Okay, okay, I'm on it," He frowned with irritation, then smiled with irony. Riza was cute that way… But too bad she never wore miniskirts. 


	3. In Which There are Tears

_A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for their gracious reviews! Haha, I have none. But if anyone happens to read this- Please review! Reviews are love! But please don't just say 'thanks for posting'- I would greatly appreciate critique and criticism. Not just on spelling... I don't have spell check... But how does the story flow? Apologies for adjusting the characters, I thought it would help making them closer to the same age. _

_Yeah, I really have no idea what I'm doing. But please read, review, and enjoy! :)_

In Which There are Tears

"Whoah, this is so cool!" Fu stuck her head out the window, watching the ground zoom by as they passed. The wind was so rough on her face, she had to carry her mask lest it be ripped off.

"What in the heck is wrong with you!" Havoc yanked her back so fast, she lost her balance and toppled onto the floor.

"Hey, that wasn't very nice," her face melted back into it's usual glare. Havoc blinked. The girl had actually been smiling for those brief seconds.

"Don't you know that's dangerous?" he exclaimed, undaunted. "Have you even ever ridden a train before?!"  
>"Nope," she reached back towards the window, but Havoc turned her around and sat her back in her seat. "Honestly, who put you on babysitter patrol?" Fu growled, leaning back and slouching.<p>

"Babysitter!?" Havoc shouted. "That is by not even close to what I signed up for, missy-high-and-mighty!"

"So you joined the freakin' military so you could carry a shotgun and look cool?"

"Yeah, pretty much." He heard Breda's voice exclaim something in his speaker, causing him to flinch. "No, not really," he sighed. "I may be a country kid, but even I'm not that simple. We all have something we wanna accomplish, right? For me, I have something I wanna protect. Joining under Roy's arm seemed like the fastest way to get there."

"Roy," Fu repeated, sighing. "He's really handsome."  
>Havoc rolled his eyes, wondering why he had even bothered to begin with.<p>

"But obviously, he's got some connection with Miss. Blondie, so it looks like he's off limits," Fu crossed her arms, slightly upset.

"Well, I do have to agree, I'm quite the charmer," Roy said from the other side of the receiver.

"Not now, chief," Havoc muttered, slightly annoyed.

"What was that?" Fu asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Havoc sighed and faced forward again.

"Is it okay if I sit by the window?" She asked, pointing across. "I promise I won't stick my head out."

"Yeah, sure," Havoc shrugged, lighting another cigarette. "Go ahead and crack it open a bit, too," he said as the smoke wafted into the air.

"How long until we get to Resembool?" She sat back, staring into the ceiling, letting the breeze flow through her hair.

"Three hours until the station."

"Do you like the color blue?"

Havoc raised an eyebrow. "Yeah… Why?"

"Do you always carry that shotgun with you?"

"Yeah…"

"Does Colonel Mustang annoy you?"

"Uh… Yeah?"

"Do you think alchemy is cool?"

"Yeah," he sighed. It looked like his role in the conversation was severely limited at this point.

"Have you ever wanted dark hair?"

"Yeah."

"Do you like donuts?"

"Yeah." And yet, he had never managed to find Breda's stash...

"Are you from the countryside?"

"Yeah."  
>"Can I ride on the roof?"<br>"Yeah- Wait, what?!" Fu opened the window even wider, then slipped out, letting the force and the momentum of the air help support her as she wormed her way on to the roof.

"What the heck is wrong with you!?" Havoc cried, sticking his head out the window and quickly following suit. His cigarette had tumbled somewhere amongst the dirt and rocks below, but there was no time to think about that now- especially since his life rested in his hands. Literally. The wind ripped across his fingers so hard, they threatened to break his grip and send him down with his cigarette. Climbing as hard as he could, he managed to pull himself up over the roof next to Fu. They sat together over the front of the car, feet dangling past.

"What in hades were you thinking?" Havoc asked, his expression weary, but his tone straight up furious.

"I was thinking LanFan was right," she laughed, somehow managing to relax, despite the harsh current of a breeze. "It's way fun up here!" The wind was coming at her so fast, it stung her face and made her eyes water.

Havoc shook his head, but figured he'd enjoy the silence while it lasted. It wasn't exactly easy to talk with a 100mph mouthful of wind flying to the back of his throat.

~Breda's donuts~

"So… This is Resembool," Fu scuffed a shoe in the dirt, kicking up dust. "Lovely tumbleweed."

"It's a nice countryside, with nice people," Havoc lit another cigarette, drawing in a long breath. The action seemed to calm him, setting a relaxed look in his stressed eyes. "Learn to respect it."

"Yes, sir," Fu saluted, then rolled her eyes. Respect jack. "So how soon can we head out to the desert?"

"As soon as we get some proper rest and provisions," Havoc listened from the device. "This is an unfortunately small- small, but beautiful- town so there are no official inns, the nearest lodging down in Rush Valley. I know some friends we can stay with here, though-"  
>"Havoc," a new voice said.<p>

Havoc shivered once in surprise and turned around to face a figure he thought had left along time ago- Fullmetal.

The blonde teenager stood with a slightly shocked expression. Fu tilted her head with curiosity, as well. He was wearing dark traveling clothes and white dress gloves, with a cane in his left hand, as if he favored it more, even though his right hand was dominant. He stepped with a slight limp in his left leg, although his face didn't betray any signs of pain; his golden eyes were calm and observant, scrolling through a dozen facts and memories.

"Not LanFan, not Fu," he frowned at Fu.

"His granddaughter. I go by Fu."

"Ah."

"Big guy…" Havoc's cigarette nearly fell out of his wide-open mouth. "I thought you left a long time ago-"  
>"Winry told me to come back if I had any trouble with my automail," he tapped his left leg with his cane. Smoke began steaming up from his ankle. "I was going to take it off, but…"<p>

Havoc nodded. He'd had his own automail trouble not too long ago.

"So who are you?" Fu asked, tilting her head. "Lan Fan never mentioned anyone by the name of Fullmetal… Well, she said something sometime about a suit of armor, but-"  
>"Four years later, and that's <em>still<em> tailing me," the blonde twitched. "The suit of armor is my brother, who also left a while ago. _I'm_ Edward Elric, once upon a time, the Fullmetal Alchemist. No alchemy anymore, though…" He sighed sadly, his gaze wandering to his steaming leg. "To be honest, I like it better this way."

"Pleasure to meet you," she stuck out her hand, and Ed shook it. Havoc couldn't help feeling a little irritated. She still wasn't smiling, but she didn't begrudge Edward with the same icy attitude that she did him.

"So, what are you guys doing in Resembool?" Edward asked, gesturing to the town around him. "It's a nice place, but I can't exactly see it as a tourist spot. Has that much changed in just a few months…?"  
>"Classified military business," Havoc crossed his arms, annoyed.<p>

"We're tracking a serial killer who we believe is after Mei Chang," Fu said at the same time.

"Mei Chang, from Xing…?" Edward's eyes grew wide. Havoc glared to the tumbleweed beside him and drew in another breath from the cigarette. Why bother talking, when you had these two beside you?

"Well, do you know any other 'Mei Chang's?" Fu took her mask off and clipped it to her belt/sash thing.

"Alphonse is with Mei," Ed's expression didn't change, but his heart rate quickened. "That serial killer is after Alphonse."

~pizza~

~Comedic Interlude~

"Ah, it's been forever since I've had some real Xingese food," Fu smiled appreciatively. The three of them were headed to the small little diner that opened up some time after Ling's departure.

"It's still Amestris," Edward warned, immediately thinking back to Lan Fan's appetite. She had eaten nothing but rice from days on end because that was the only food that still tasted the same in Amestris as it did in Xing. Of course, she had eaten Amestris food. She had loved it. But when she wanted comfort food, something that really reminded her of home…

Edward shuddered as they walked into the building. This could end really, really terribly.

"Food!" Fu cheered as they all sat down together.

"Food…?" she asked when the waitress served them. On their plates sat steaming rice with tenderly roasted meat and crisp vegetables.

"Food," Havoc confirmed as he began eating.

"No!" Fu exclaimed, knocking his fork out of his hand. "You can't eat that!"

"Why?" Havoc complained, staring at his food with wide, pleading eyes, mouth watering. Edward didn't react as he saw Havoc try to snatch his fork from the corner of his eye.

"Because this is nothing close to proper Xingese food," Fu pouted, eyes glowing with anger. "Plus, you've _still_ got your cigarette." Havoc quickly discarded it. "Who runs this place?"  
>That was the initial reaction Ed had been expecting. "Hey, Fu-" he started, but she was already walking towards the back of the room, through the doors, to the kitchen.<p>

"She's the other teenager, she's _your_ responsibility," Havoc raised his hands in surrender, backing away from the situation.

"Hey, I'm a seasoned veteran," Edward growled in response, still against the navy blue uniform that Havoc wore. "That blasted colonel can no longer tell me what to do-"

"He's been promoted to Brigadier General."

"Colonel has a nicer ring."  
>"That's why we still call him that."<p>

"Anyway, you're the one who's been given the babysitting job-"  
>"I'm not a babysitter! I'm three years older than you!"<p>

Edward froze.

"There's a reason I never told you any of that when you were still… You know… Short."

"That doesn't mean I've forgiven you."

"For a growth spurt I can't control?"

"How old is Kain?"  
>"Just a year younger than me."<br>Their hasty conversation was ended with a few clatters, bangs, rattles, and plenty of shouting from the kitchen.

"Who's the cook!?" Fu shouted furiously, arms crossed with an angry confidence in front of the staff.

"I am," a low, loud, and deep voice said. It belonged to a 7ft tall, muscle bound man in an apron, holding one of the meat knives in his hands, with his arms also crossed over his apron, his expression hard to make besides the stone glare he wore.

Fu, however, was unimpressed and unintimidated. "Well, what's your name, Mr.?" she asked angrily.

"Sig," he responded, still glaring.

"Well, Mr. Sig, you're doing it all wrong," Fu snapped. He only raised an eyebrow. "You have to chop the meat in smaller pieces, and fry it with the vegetables," she commanded. Surprisingly enough, he began doing the job as she spoke. "Don't be afraid to go heavy on the spices-"  
>Sig exchanged the teaspoon he was using for a tablespoon, but Fu took the container and dumped the majority of it into the mixture. "You can add a small portion of the rice in, too," she explained, and before Havoc and Ed could react, the two were cooking side by side in the kitchen.<p>

"If Izumi's ghost were here, she'd be the one either protecting Fu, or holding back Sig," Edward gaped. "I've never seen someone talk to him like that without getting brained on the spot."

"Except for yourself," Havoc muttered. "You used to talk like that to everybody."

"Well, yeah, but Izumi was kinda my stepmom."

"She left you and your brother stranded on an island for 30 days to see if you could survive."  
>"Hey, who gave you that information!-"<p>

"Done!" Fu exclaimed, holding up a plate of steaming food in front of the boys. It looked tasty and delicious, with a pleasant aroma that wafted through the room, smelling of ginger and orange, an interesting combination, but alluring and mouthwatering at the same time.

"Izumi's ghost?" an angry voice said.

Edward and Havoc turned around with ice spikes on their shoulders. "You're- you're alive," Edward said with a smile that looked a lot closer to a grimace.

"Of course I'm alive," Izumi shouted, eyes practically glowing with rage. "You've been gone for over half a decade, and this is the kind of greeting you give your stepmother!?"

"Hello, ma'am," Fu smiled happily, her eyes and expression seeming to glow with optimism. "Edward has told me so much about you!"

"Is that so?" Izumi was calm and collected with Fu, but she still gave Ed a glowering stare.

"Why, of course, ma'am," Fu bowed. "We've been together a while- and he certainly hasn't failed to mention what an amazing housewife and teacher you are."

"Who is giving her this information?" Havoc muttered out of the corner of his mouth with his cigarette.

"Well, aren't you sweet," Izumi patted her head, and Fu grinned even wider, obviously pleased.

"Alphonse was every bit as sweet as her, and she's giving the foreigner special treatment!?" Ed exclaimed, twitching with annoyance.

"Izumi's always wanted a girl," Mason spoke for the first time, carrying a load of dishes to be washed. "Someone just as strong and sympathetic- someone who can understand her."

"I can be understanding," Edward pouted, and Fu patted his head.

"Don't worry, there, there," she smiled.

"Sheesh, you are understanding," Ed glared.

"This recipe…" Izumi examined the food with a critical expression. Her glare turned into a pleased smile. "Is just what we need in this kitchen. Did you track all the ingredients, Sig?" she began serving a plate.

Sig nodded once, holding the notepad and pencil he had been writing with the entire time.

"Well then… Serve'm up," she instructed while piling the plates heavy with food.

"... Food?" Havoc asked, poking his meal with a fork.

"Food," Fu confirmed, taking a huge bite.


End file.
